Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons had an impressive performance despite a 111-112 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz. He finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists. However, Simmons sparked headlines with tanking comments following the game.
Ben Simmons Takes a Shot At the Nets Front Office
The Nets are having a season they would rather forget, with a 13-26 record. Simmons is in the final year of his five-year, $177 million contract. Many view him as a player the Nets will try to buy out before the NBA trade deadline. However, the Nets and Simmons have not had recent conversations about a potential buyout. Teams around the NBA may not be looking to trade for Simmons’ contract, knowing he is making $40 million this season.
Despite missing games due to injuries and setbacks, Simmons has rebranded his career. This season, Simmons has been more of a vocal leader on and off the court. Coach Jordi Fernandez has pushed Simmons to attack the rim every time on offense and become a much greater defender.
Simmons Sparked Headlines Regarding Tanking
The conversation in recent weeks around the NBA has focused on whether the Nets are willing to tank. Before the game against Utah, Nets general manager Sean Marks told New York Post’s Brian Lewis,
“We’re building this, and we’re building this for hopefully sustainable success,” he said. “That’s what we want. We want to get to that… We’re going to have to be systematic with some of the decisions we make. And they may not always be in line with winning the next game or putting the most talent out there.”
However, when asked by Lewis about the team’s next direction, Simmons expressed his frustration with the team’s rebuilding strategy.
“I know this is kind of like a rebuild situation, but we’ve got to go in there like we want to win regardless of what the front office is expecting,” he said.
Simmons is not the only one frustrated about losing.
His teammate, Nic Claxton, said “No moral victories. I’m pissed off. We should have won but we just gotta keep chopping” and “We’ve been losing a lot, and everybody’s tired of losing. They sat out all their players and we still lost.”
What’s Next?
The Nets are actively trying to free up salary cap space for free agency this summer. They are committed to a brighter future and willing to trade players to rebuild. Trade rumors about forward Cam Johnson are growing. Recently, the team traded key players, including Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith. Despite Simmons’ comments on tanking, management has not responded and will continue their approach to the season, especially with a loaded 2025 draft. Simmons’ future with the team is uncertain, but a few weeks ago, the team refused to buy out his contract.
The Nets are falling apart. There is no clear indication of what the Nets will look like in the 2025-2026 season. Management must decide whether to focus on the upcoming 2025 draft class or pursue talented players in this year’s free agency. Teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences are looking for players to acquire at the upcoming trade deadline, including the buyout market. For now, all fans can do is sit back and hope to see some wins. They will have to trust the process and hope management has a real plan.
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